Work-stand



(No Model.)

D. H. MUR

WORK STA IIIIIA PHY.

Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

FFICE.

ATENT DANIEL ll. MURPHY, OF ILKR'IFOR'D, OONNEC'llCU'l.

WORK-STAND.

ATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,546, dated March 12, 1889;

Application filed June 11, 1883. Serial No. 276,706. (No model.)

lie it known that I, DANIEL I'l. l\lURPHY, a citizen ol the United St ates, residing at llarttord, in the county of Hartford and State of (loixnceticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vork -btands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of workstands which are used by ladies for domestic purposes; and the object is to provide a stand of this class that can be readily taken apart and packed into a small space for transportation, and which will be more convenient and ornamental than prior stands.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the stand. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the upper part of the stand with the cover lifted, part of the tray being broken away to show construction. Fig. l is a plan view with the cover removed. Fig. 5 is a side view of the upper part of the stand, showing the cover remm'ed and replaced by a lamp.

In the drawings, 1 represents the central spindle, that is made of wood or metal and supported in an upright position by the legs The lower end of the spindle is made somewhat smaller than the main portion, and the shoulder thus formed is undercut to form the tenon 3, under which fits a corresponding tenon, -l, on the legs when the latter are forced upward by the cup-shaped metallic base 5, that is held in place by the thumb-screw 6, which screws into the end of the spindle, the edges ot' the cup fitting into grooves 7 in the legs, to hold them against the spindle and prevent their spreading outward. hen the legs have been secured in. place, the worktray 8, which has a central. perforation of the proper size, is placed on the spindle and allowed to slip down until it rests upon the upper ends of the legs 2, in which position it is free to be rotated, so that work may be conveniently taken from either side. The upper end of the spindle is turned down, and the tray 9, which is smaller than the lower tray, is slipped on this reduced portion of the spindle, and is free to rotate in a similar manner to the lower tray.

Rising from the center of the tray fl is the pin and needle cushion it), and at proper distances apart around this cushion are posts 11, upon which spools ot. various sizes oi thread are placedfand in close proximity to each spool a tube, 12, is inserted through the floor of the trayin such manner that the thread is led from each spool through the tubes to a convenient position to be grasped when it is to be used. The side walls of this tray proj ect downward below the bottom of the door of the tray, so as to hide from view the lower ends of the tubes and the ends of the thread which pass through the tubes, and attached to each side of this tray and projecting slightly below the edges are the knives 13, the edges of which are not intended to be sharp and smooth, but somewhat saw-toothed, so that after a sufiicient length of thread has been pulled out itis abraded apart by a quick pull along the knife. as shown on the right of Fig. 3, as a sharply-cut thread cannot be easily threaded through the eye of a needle. It is preferred that the thread-tubes be of such length that a sharp angle is made in the thread by the end of the tube when the thread is being drawn across the knife, so that no more thread will be pulled from the spool; also, that a suiticient length of thread will hang down in position to be grasped by a person, who, guiding his hand down and oil? the end of the tube, finds the proper thread between his fingers in readiness to be threaded through the eye of a needle without bending over and looking for the thread. Thus the hanging ends can be hidden from view.

1% denotes the dome-shaped cover, which when closed covers and protects the thread and cushion. This cover is guided in its vertical movement to cover and uncover the upper tray by the rod 15, which moves in a socket in the upper end of the spindle.

1G is a spring, which is attached to the rod, and when released fromv the socket in the spindle itprojects outward and holds the rod extended and the cover raised; but when forced into the slit in the rod it permits the cover to descend to the tray.

.18 is a diaphragm, which is permanently secured to the upper end of the rod 15, and which isattached tothecover It by thespring catches 17.

In using the stand the cover is grasped by the handle on the top and raised until the spring 16 is out of the socket and holds up the cover, and when it is desired to use the stand in the evening the cover is released from the diaphragm 18 by forcing the springs 17 toward the walls of the cover, which is then set aside and a lamp, 20, placed in the socket 19 on the top of the diaphragm.

In order to pack the stand for transportation, the cover is removed by pulling the rod from its socket in the spindle and unclasping the catches 17 from the diaphragm. The upper tray is then slipped oil the spindle, the legs removed by releasing the base 5, and as the legs are removed the lower tray is slipped off the spindle, and the upper tray, which is the smaller, packed inside of the lower tray, and the whole made into a compact bundle an essential characteristic of the stands now sold.

I claim as my improvement 1. I11 combination, in the within-described work-stand, the spindle 1, having a socket in its upper end, a rod having a vertical movement in the socket, a spring, 16, attached to the rod, a diaphragm attached to the upper end of the rod, the springs 17, and the cover 14, all substantially as described.

rod, a diaphragm attached to the upper end of the rod, and a cover removably attached to the diaphragm, substantially as described.

3. In combination, in the within-described work-stand, the spindle 1, having a reduced upper end, a rotary tray borne on the upper end of the spindle, said tray bearing the posts 1 l, and having the tubes 12 projecting through the floor, and the knives, substantially as described.

4. In combination, in the within-described work-stand, the spindle 1, having a reduced upper end, a rotary tray borne on the reduced portion of the spindle, the sides of the tray extending below the floor, said tray bearing the posts 11, and having the tubes 12 extending through the floor of the tray to act as a finger guide to the thread, and the knives, substantially as described.

DANIEL H. MURPHY:

lVit-nesses:

HARRY R. WILLIAMs, ARTHUR 13. JENKINS. 

